Visit the Palais Royal in Brussels is a must. As tourists, we have this fascination with Royal history and heritage and the Royal residence in Brussels ticks all the boxes.
Although the royal family of Belgium now spend their lives at Laeken, the Royal Palace in Brussels remains as their official residence.
Nowadays it is used to host concerts and royal events, especially the grand ones of national importance.
The palace is open for tourists in the summer months and makes a worthy addition to any itinerary whilst visiting the city. The most notable room in the palace has a ceiling covered in the wings of beetles, forming an oddly beautiful mosaic.
The exuberance and style of the residence do not disappoint. The artwork as well as the interior decor is also as splendid as you might expect from a royal palace.
The Palais Royal – What’s inside?
If you compare the palace to the Gothic patterns on the Grand Place square, the building looks pretty ascetic: grey colour spectrum, classical decor, lean and mean.
The Belgian Royal Family were always fond of practicality and rationality. Nevertheless, the interior of the palace is famous for its rich decorations and furniture.
The impressively beautiful halls are decorated with cultural values:
- It stores the art collections brought from various corners of the world
- The huge size of the Mirrors will impress you with its ceiling laid with the wings of the Sacred scarabs.
- The Empire Room is decorated with 11 flowerpots made of real gold. The significance of each flower pot is drawn from the cultivation of different flowers from each of the 11 Belgian provinces.
- The size and grandeur of the royal palace will impress you; especially in the two halls – the Throne Room and the Grande Gallerie.
The picturesque location of the Royal Palace only highlights its splendour, luxury, and grandeur. Its doors are open to all tourists.
Thus, any guest can experience and admire ‘how the royals live, not only from the outside but also through the real royal chambers.
Through the pages of history
The Palais Royal was built in the 1900s but don’t let this fact hold you back. It stands on the spot of the splendid ancient construction, the Coudenberg Palace which, unfortunately, didn’t manage to survive to our times. Here are some historical facts in dates:
- At the end of the XI century – the Coudenberg Palace was built, which had been the residence of the Dukes of Brabant for many centuries
- 1731 – the Dukes of Brabant palace was destroyed by fire
- At the end of the XVIII century – the building of the Royal Palace started
- In the 1900s – the modern facade in the Classicism style was erected
Visit the Palais Royal
Just as other attractions of Belgium, the building of the Royal Palace is a reflection of the country’s history. It depicts its great past which managed to save the imprints of the years long gone.
You can find more information if you want to visit the Palais Royal on their official website. And you can also explore more regions and attractions from Belgium on our official Tourism and Culture website.
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